Moss Vale Local Court: Bryce Dean Moloney, 22, sentenced for dishonestly obtaining small business rebate, possessing meth

A Mittagong man who has been accused of stabbing a man three times in the back has been sentenced for several other charges, including dishonestly obtaining a small business Covid rebate with “comical simplicity”.

A Mittagong man who has been accused of stabbing a man three times in the back has been sentenced for several other charges, including dishonestly obtaining a small business Covid rebate with “comical simplicity”.

Bryce Dean Moloney, 22, appeared at Moss Vale Local Court via audiovisual link on Tuesday.

He previously pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, possessing a prohibited drug, and not complying with noticed direction related to Covid.

Moloney has not yet pleaded to wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which police allege involved a man who was stabbed in the back three times and flown to Liverpool Hospital.

Bryce Dean Moloney was sentenced at Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday for dishonestly obtaining a Covid small business rebate, possessing meth and defying Covid health orders. Picture: Facebook

Documents tendered to the court state that on the evening of Friday, August 6, Moloney failed to comply with the Covid public health orders during the regional lockdown, when he visited someone’s home in Moss Vale to drink alcohol with some people.

Facts also state that on October 9, he applied online through Service NSW for a small business Covid rebate under his fake business ‘Bryce Corporation’.

According to documents, he received the payment of $10,500.

Moloney’s lawyer, Mr Davis called the charge a “serious fraud” but said it was conducted with “comical simplicity”.

“It was a ruse,” Mr Davis said.

“He filled in an online form with a fictional name – Bryce Corporation – and barely considered that he’d succeed.”

“There was no planning in this, he wasn't forging letterheads and wearing suits and attending meetings.”

The lawyer also said that Moloney did not spend any of the money as it was frozen by the bank and returned to authorities.

“There was no subsequent loss to the state,” Mr Davis said.

The Mittagong local is still before the court for allegedly stabbing a man three times in the back.

According to documents, he was arrested five days later at a Goulburn Motel – following a police investigation into the alleged stabbing. When being searched, officers found 0.38 grams of methamphetamine, which he said was for his personal use.

Mr Davis recalled Moloney having a “vicious drug addiction” and that he has been engaging with drug rehabilitation in prison, which has been “productive”.

The lawyer also mentioned that Moloney has a partner and child and asked the Magistrate to not impose a “crippling sentence”.

“He has reasonable prospects in the district court matter (the alleged stabbing) being successful, he may be acquitted,” Mr Davis said.

Magistrate Mark Douglass said Moloney’s history “does not afford him any leniency” and that the offences occurred when he was on parole after being released from prison for other charges.

It was noted by Mr Davis that he has been in custody for 222 days as a result of breaching parole and not receiving bail for the new matters.

“My view is a term of imprisonment will be warranted for general and specific deterrence,” Magistrate Douglass said.

Moloney was sentenced to six months in prison, backdated to October last year.

His trial for the alleged stabbing will be at Goulburn District Court on October 31, for which bail was previously not given.